Long Game Wins: On the Court and in Your Wallet
I wasn’t the best when I started, in sports or in finance, but I trusted the process, stayed consistent, and learned that small steady steps today can compound into something big tomorrow.
In sports, you train for seasons, not moments. Thinking long‑term keeps me disciplined, and that same mindset has helped me stay locked in with financial goals that don’t pay off overnight.
My first love growing up was baseball. I poured my time, blood, sweat, and tears into being the best player I could be. I had a trainer who was a Chicago White Sox scout, and he always preached that it didn’t matter if you were the best 14‑ or 16‑year‑old. He cared about longevity. He wanted to know what we were doing every single day that would put us one step ahead so that when we turned 25, we were the best 25‑year‑olds around.
My first love growing up was baseball. I poured my time, blood, sweat, and tears into being the best player I could be. I had a trainer who was a Chicago White Sox scout, and he always preached that it didn’t matter if you were the best 14‑ or 16‑year‑old. He cared about longevity. He wanted to know what we were doing every single day that would put us one step ahead so that when we turned 25, we were the best 25‑year‑olds around.
I loved that philosophy. It gave me peace of mind knowing I didn’t have to be perfect every day. I just had to keep working and trust the process.
Eventually, I laid baseball down and picked up basketball. I fell in love with it instantly. Thankfully, I brought that long‑term mindset with me from baseball, because I wasn’t the best basketball player when I switched over. But I knew that if I took it seriously, stuck with it, and gave it time, I’d pass the people around me.
Right around the time I started focusing on basketball, I discovered personal finance and business. Honestly, it was YouTube education. But I fell in love with the idea of compounding. Nobody in my life had ever shown me the power of understanding your money at a young age. I found it on my own through watching videos. And once I learned it, I knew I had to start ASAP.
I asked my mom to help me open a bank account so I could start investing. I didn’t know exactly what I was doing, but I knew one thing: I needed to begin. From then until now, I’ve made rules for myself. I don’t buy anything unless I can invest the same amount. I take a portion of every paycheck and put it straight into my investment account.
I’m grateful I stumbled onto those YouTube videos early, because it set me on a long‑term path. I started with $200 I'd scraped together from birthdays, holidays, anything I could find, and I threw every extra dollar into my investment account.
One thing that bothers me today is hearing people say you need a lot of money to invest or to get started on your savings goals. That’s just not true. The key is to begin with whatever you have and stay committed. It’s the same mindset my baseball trainer taught me: don’t try to be the best right away. Take a little peek into your future and focus on small, steady days.
Because if you do that—if you stay consistent—compounding takes over. And that’s when the real growth happens.
Eventually, I laid baseball down and picked up basketball. I fell in love with it instantly. Thankfully, I brought that long‑term mindset with me from baseball, because I wasn’t the best basketball player when I switched over. But I knew that if I took it seriously, stuck with it, and gave it time, I’d pass the people around me.
Right around the time I started focusing on basketball, I discovered personal finance and business. Honestly, it was YouTube education. But I fell in love with the idea of compounding. Nobody in my life had ever shown me the power of understanding your money at a young age. I found it on my own through watching videos. And once I learned it, I knew I had to start ASAP.
I asked my mom to help me open a bank account so I could start investing. I didn’t know exactly what I was doing, but I knew one thing: I needed to begin. From then until now, I’ve made rules for myself. I don’t buy anything unless I can invest the same amount. I take a portion of every paycheck and put it straight into my investment account.
I’m grateful I stumbled onto those YouTube videos early, because it set me on a long‑term path. I started with $200 I'd scraped together from birthdays, holidays, anything I could find, and I threw every extra dollar into my investment account.
One thing that bothers me today is hearing people say you need a lot of money to invest or to get started on your savings goals. That’s just not true. The key is to begin with whatever you have and stay committed. It’s the same mindset my baseball trainer taught me: don’t try to be the best right away. Take a little peek into your future and focus on small, steady days.
Because if you do that—if you stay consistent—compounding takes over. And that’s when the real growth happens.
